Arepas, traditional savory cornmeal cakes from Venezuela, are similar to Mexican tortillas and can be stuffed with anything from ground corn to cheese and fish. They are generally more savory than sweet, and their pancake-like dough is much thicker than that of tortillas.

Watch this episode of The Minimalist with Mark Bittman to learn how to make mini cornmeal arepas covered with black beans and a dollop of sour cream. Serve these in place of traditional hors d'ouerves at your next party.